If David Meckler has his way, the London Knights will be looking for another over-age forward.

The 20-year-old from Highland Park, Ill., who was selected an assistant captain before playing a regular season game with the Knights last year, has designs on turning pro. He's in negotiations with the Los Angeles Kings on a contract that would assign him to Manchester, N.H., of the AHL.

"There's a contract offer and we're still negotiating (but) my plan is to play in Manchester," Meckler said yesterday from his training base in Milwaukee.

Meckler scored 38 goals in 67 games with London last season after leaving Yale University. He added a team-best 15 goals in 16 playoff games and laced up for each of those contests with a broken bone in his foot.

"It was tough," Meckler said, "but it's perfectly healed now. I got the boot off three-and-a-half weeks ago and skated in two-a-days (at the Kings' development camp earlier this month)."

London GM Mark Hunter said he didn't know if Meckler would benefit from another year in the OHL. The Knights will open training camp and the season with some important questions, among them the status of first overall NHL pick Pat Kane.

"Obviously, we'd love to have Meckler back but players are always looking ahead to the next challenge and that's his right," Hunter said. "After they sign, there's a small chance to get them back. It's not likely, but it happens."

Another potential Knights over-ager, Josh Beaulieu, has already signed an AHL contract with Philadelphia. Two more veterans -- Jordan Foreman and Adam Perry -- are likely to attend NHL camps before the OHL season.

Meckler echoed Kane's sentiments by saying the toughest decision of his life -- "bolting the NCAA ranks for the Knights" -- should have been his easiest.

"I've played on a lot of teams before but I never played on a team with such a great group of guys," he said. "We were a close group and I have a great friend in (captain and roommate) Robbie Drummond. I had a great time playing in London last year."